Anutin: Allow more tourists to enter, not just from 10 low-risk countries
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said he doesn't agree that tourists from only 10 "low-risk" countries should be allowed to visit Thailand when it reopens on November 1.
On Monday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced in a televised address that he had instructed the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) and the Public Health Ministry to look into the reopening of the country on November 1.
Initially, tourists from 10 low-risk countries will be allowed to enter Thailand without having to quarantine, provided they are fully jabbed and test negative.
However, Anutin voiced disagreement. He said tourists from more countries other than the 10 "low-risk" nations should be allowed in, and they should all be required to take RT-PCR tests on entry and stay a night in a province they arrive. If the tests prove they are not infected, they can be allowed to travel in the country.
He also told the press that he had already discussed his opinions with other "relevant" individuals.
More details of the 10 countries will be proposed to the CCSA this Thursday.
Chonburi new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 drop to 442 with 7 new deaths
Highlights:
442 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Chonburi today
778 people recovered and were released from medical care
7 new deaths
The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 442 new and confirmedcases of Covid-19 today with 7 new deaths, October 13th.
Additionally, 778 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 85,114 people in total have now been released from medical care and recovered in Chonburi since this current wave of Covid-19 began.
This makes a total of 94,894 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 9,120 people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 660 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April.
The new deaths yesterday were the average age of 63. Most of them had contracted Covid-19 from previous cases in families. Six of them were elders. The Chonburi Public Health Office said they all had personal health issues. Five of them were not vaccinated.
The district-level new cases were as follows today:
Mueang Chonburi 106, Si Racha 97, Banglamung (Pattaya) 89, Panat Nikhom 37, Sattahip 27, Ban Bueang 17, Phan Thong 29, Bor Thong 2, Ko Chan 5, Nong Yai 3, soldiers in Sattahip 4, and 26 people transferred from other provinces for medical care.
The details on the cases are as follows:
Cluster, soldiers in Sattahip, 4 cases
Cluster, work camp of MRA company in Sattahip, 9 cases
Cluster, work camp of CAZ company in Si Racha, 4 cases
Cluster, Vanda Pac company in Mueang Chonburi, 4 cases
Cluster, Siam Toyota Industrial company in Pan Thong, 4 cases
Many establishments in Rayong Province brought to Chonburi for medical care, 24 cases
A risky occupation, meeting a lot of people, 15 cases
3 medical staff
Back from a risky area in Bangkok – 1 case
Close contacts of confirmed patients in the family – 168 cases, in workplaces – 76 cases, close friends – 25 cases, and joined parties – 2 case
Close contacts of confirmed patients (under investigation), 39 cases
64 cases are under investigation in general as to the cause of the disease
There are currently clusters of outbreaks in 87 establishments and five markets, 10 construction worker camps, and four communities.
Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul may have dampened the excitement over Thailand's November 1 reopening when he announced that it is possible that the country could close up its borders in the event of a serious Covid-19 outbreak.
The announcement on Monday by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha that he had told the Ministry of Public Health and Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration to push reopening the country on November 1 has been met with excitement from tourist international travellers as well as the tourism sector of Thailand.
The plan is to initially open to 10 countries that have a low Covid-19 risk, allowing people from those countries who are fully vaccinated to enter Thailand without any quarantine as long as they test negative for the virus. Anutin says that the details of exactly which low Covid-19 risk 10 countries would be chosen for this reopening is still being discussed.
The reopening plan and the 10 countries will be formally proposed to the CCSA on Thursday. If all goes well, the government then intends to expand the list of countries in the first week of December, and continue the expansion of countries allowed to enter in January of next year.
But the Public Health Minister warns that the fate of the program depends on the Thai people and how well they follow rules to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Anutin warns that if Covid-19 prevention and safety measures are not strictly followed and it an outbreak results, Thailand will likely go back into a shutdown.
Though it hasn't been fully confirmed that entertainment venues, bars, and nightlife – the closure of which has severely hampered any bid at lowering international tourists back – will be fully reopened, the Minister of Public Health said that these venues that have often been high-risk locations for virus spreading and have contributed to massive Covid-19 outbreaks will be closely monitored as the government attempts to identify and contain any new cluster as quickly as possible.
The chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries has welcomed the plan to re-open Thailand to vaccinated tourists from low-risk countries. Supant Mongkolsuthree says the planned November 1 re-opening will accelerate economic growth and increase business confidence. According to a Bangkok Post report, Supant predicts the return of foreign tourism could see GDP growth achieve its target of 0% – 1% this year.
While a number of health experts have voiced concerns about the planned re-opening and the impact on Covid-19 infection rates, Supant urges them to view things differently. He points out that the pandemic may never end, adding that they should shift the focus from daily new cases to looking at the declining fatalities and improving vaccination rates.
Meanwhile, Sanan Angubolkul from the Thai Chamber of Commerce has also welcomed the re-opening plan, but has called for caution over the health risk. He says the government must prepare for the re-opening by providing more vaccines, including second doses and booster doses.
"It is important to build the confidence of potential tourists by communicating to various countries about the process of entering Thailand using international standards. Entrepreneurs and the public must be disciplined to reduce the risks of Covid transmission and keep the country open."
The Bangkok Post reports that Dillip Rajakarier from hospitality group Minor International has described the November re-opening as a step in the right direction. However, he points out that the government needs to do more to improve Thailand's safety reputation overseas.
"The government should communicate with and encourage international communities to set up exemption protocols for travellers returning from Thailand. While spending time in Thailand, these vaccinated travellers have undergone numerous safety protocols and should be able to return home with a minimum of inconvenience."
For more information on how to get into Thailand during the pandemic, CLICK HERE.
It would seem that some government ministers are hell-bent on sabotaging any hope the Thai people have of returning to something resembling the prosperous country they had until only 18 months ago.
After all, how many tourists are going to risk Thailand as a holiday destination this season if the government is threatening to shut the entire country down again, at any moment, on a whim.
To add to the mixed messaging the Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced in a televised address on Monday that he has instructed the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration and the Public Health Ministry to only 'look into' opening the country on November 1.
Initially, tourists from 10 low-risk countries will be allowed to travel to Thailand without having to quarantine provided they are fully jabbed and test negative.
The list will be expanded to cover more countries in the first week of December and then again in January 2022.
This morning, Anutin said that the detail of the 10 countries was under discussion and will be proposed to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on this Thursday.
Asked about a tendency to close the country again, the heath minister said it depends on Thai people. If they don't follow the preventive measures strictly, Thailand tends to be shut again.
Meaning, if people don't do exactly what we tell them too them we will lock them all up at home again.
In addition, Anutin added that risk places like entertainment venues will be monitored seriously, in a bid to prevent the new outbreaks of the sniffles.
'Vietjet – Flying Together' from just THB 555 with 40% Cashback
(Bangkok, October 12, 2021) – In cooperation with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Thai Vietjet today announced 'Vietjet – Flying together' promotion, offering special fares starting from 555THB (including taxes, fees, and surcharges) for travel on the airline's entire domestic flight network, with the extra benefit of 40% cashback from TAT's "Rao Tiew Duay Kan" campaign. The special fares are available for booking from October 11 – 20, 2021 with a travel period from November 8, 2021 – January 31, 2022(exclusive of public holidays).
During the "Rao Tiew Duay Kan" campaign, passengers will get double benefits from the airline and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Those who have completely enrolled at www.เราเที่ยวด้วยกัน.com are eligible to benefit from additional 40% cashback (calculate from the total ticket price, up to 2,000THB per passenger), subject to campaign terms & conditions.
Aiming to offer passengers more travel opportunities, Thai Vietjet's exclusive fares are applied to its entire domestic network covering from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi, Udon Thani, Hat Yai, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ubon Ratchathani, and Surat Thani, plus cross-regional services connecting Phuket to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Udon Thani, together with from Hat Yai to Chiang Rai. The promotional fares are also available on all other distribution channels including www.vietjetair.com, mobile app "Vietjet Air", via Facebook at www.facebook.com/VietJetThailand by clicking the "Booking" tab, as well as travel agencies and booking offices. Payment can be easily made with 'True Money Wallet' and international debit/ credit cards.
###
About Vietjet:
The new-age carrier Vietjet has not only revolutionized the aviation industry in Vietnam but has also been a pioneering airline across the region and around the world. With a focus on cost management ability, effective operations, and performance, Vietjet offers flying opportunities with cost-saving and flexible fares as well as diversified services to meet customers' demands.
Vietjet is a fully-fledged member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) with the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate. As Vietnam's largest private carrier, the airline was awarded the highest ranking for safety with 7 stars in 2018, 2019, and 2020 by the world's only safety and product rating website airlineratings.com and listed as one of the world's 50 best airlines for healthy financing and operations by Airfinance Journal in 2018 and 2019. The airline has also been named as Best Low-Cost Carrier by renowned organizations such as Skytrax, CAPA, Airline Ratings, and many others.
Thai Vietjet is cooperating with Vietjet to extend its flight network and provide more opportunities for travelers in the world to discover Thailand and many other countries. Currently, the airline operates 14 domestic routes from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi, Udon Thani, Hat Yai, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ubon Ratchathani, and Surat Thani, cross-regional flights from Phuket to Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, and Udon Thani, also direct flights from Hat Yai to Chiang Rai, 8 routes connecting Thailand and Vietnam such as Bangkok to Da Lat/ Da Nang, and more international routes from Thailand to mainland China.
Reopening Thailand decision raises questions over testing capacity
views 1,056
Judging by the online response, Thais remain divided over the decision, announced by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, to allow foreign travellers to enter the country from November 1st, provided they are fully vaccinated, test negative for COVID-19 and arrive from one of the countries on the government's approved list.
Virologist Dr. Anan Jongkaewwattana asked, if 100,000 foreign tourists arrive in Thailand in a day, how health officials would be able to administer such a large number of RT-PCR tests effectively.
With just under 3 weeks to go, daily new COVID-19 infections in Thailand so far this month are averaging 10,574.
Daily new infections (excluding unconfirmed positive ATK results) and deaths:
There is good news for foreigners who wish to stay in Thailand long term after AETNA Thailand refreshed some of their health insurance plans to meet the Thai government's new criteria for Non-Immigrant Visa "O-A" (Long Stay Visa).
The changes to the rules for "O-A" visas came in last week and mean expats will need to think again about their insurance coverage.
From October 1st applicants for this visa need health insurance or government welfare with a minimum coverage of US $100,000 or around three million baht for medical expenses and costs related to the treatment of Covid-19.
Previously visa applicants were only required to have health insurance in Thailand with a minimum coverage of 40,000 Thai baht for outpatient medical treatment and 400,000 for in-patient.
This has now all changed.
However, the new requirements are mandated only for an individual's first Long Stay visa application, AETNA informed ASEAN NOW.
Foreigners currently residing in Thailand under a Long Stay visa have until 31st August 2022 to apply for a visa extension under the previous regulations.
But from September 1st 2022 they will be required to meet the new criteria.
AETNA has updated packages for expats that can be purchased via the AETNA website or Thai General Insurance Association's (TGIA) website, branches (direct and agent), broker partners, worksite marketing, telesales, Customer Loyalty and UOB bancassurance sales channels.
The available packages are as follows:
1. Platinum or Platinum+: These are 3 million, 5 million, 10 million and 30 million baht plans. Deductible options are also available.
3. Crown Diamond (offered exclusively via UOB): 3 million baht and 4.5 million baht plans.
4. Ultracare: Thailand UltraCare, Elite, Comprehensive, Select and Standard.
Supplementary benefits for more comprehensive insurance coverage including out-patient (OPD) and personal accident cover are also offered as add-ons to the above plans (subject to terms and conditions of each plan) the company told ASEAN NOW this week.
ASEAN NOW readers are advised to contact the above channels to upgrade their insurance within the time frame specified.
Travelers check in at Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan province on Sept 22. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)
As state agencies gear up for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's vow to reopen the country to fully vaccinated tourists from Nov 1, concerns over public health safety have been raised by some medical experts.
Both the authorities' actions and responding health concerns follow Gen Prayut announcing the government's reopening plan via a special televised speech Monday night, saying the country seeks to receive fully vaccinated tourists from low-risk countries who will not have to spend time in Covid-19 quarantine.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has been preparing for the country's reopening for a long period of time and has already piloted the tourism reopening in key tourist destinations such as Phuket, said Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn on Tuesday.
More provinces including Bangkok were previously in line to be included in the next phase of the tourism reopening programme, while the PM's new reopening policy has come as a catalyst for reopening the country's tourism, said Mr Phiphat.
Several other countries including neighbouring Singapore have already announced their reopening plans while the EU, Britain and the US have already reopened, he said.
"This is a competition to draw tourists in. So if we still impose a Covid-19 quarantine on them, such as for seven days, we won't be able to compete well with other countries," he said. "The Nov 1 reopening plan will attract a large number of tourists to Thailand between this year's last quarter and the first quarter of next year."
Thailand has long been considered one of the most popular destinations for visitors from Europe, the US, Japan, South Korea, and China during the approaching winter in these countries, he said.
The Public Health Ministry has already planned to speed up Covid-19 testing on tourists upon their arrival at airports to facilitate an expected rise in the number of visitors with the reopening, he said.
As for the countries whose tourists will be allowed to enter Thailand at the beginning of the Nov 1 reopening, TAT is now specifying which countries should be included in the list of low Covid-19 risk nations, he said. "More details of the reopening plan are expected to be discussed at the next meeting of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) tomorrow," Mr Phiphat said.
At this point, four to five countries have been named including Britain, Germany, the US and China, he said, adding that the government is also considering seeking tourism cooperation with other Asian countries planning to reopen such as Singapore.
The government is accelerating vaccination efforts and is confident the target of 70% vaccination coverage will be met as planned, said government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana. More than 61 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have already been administered and a total of 178.2 million doses are expected to be delivered by the end of the year, he said.
But Dr Thira Woratanarat, an associate professor at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine, meanwhile, cautioned that the number of daily new Covid-19 infections may surge by at least twice the current figures after the reopening.
Citing an analysis of infections experienced by Chile, which reopened on Oct 1, and Denmark, reopened since early September, Dr Thira said the number of new Covid-19 cases may jump to around 20,000 per day and then keep doubling every three weeks after that.
Prof Dr Thiravat Hemachudha, the Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre chief, said he personally supports the reopening as long as it won't exacerbate the Covid-19 situation in the country.
At the same time, he said, he is concerned that the arrival of international tourists could trigger another major outbreak.
Virologist Anan Jongkaewwattana, from the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, made concerning comments about the reopening on his Facebook page.
"If 100,000 tourists visit, how will we do RT-PCR tests because we have never done so many before?" he asked.
IMMEDIATELY after Prime Minister announced in a televised address at 8.30 p.m. last night (Oct. 12) that Thailand will on November 1 reopen to tourists from 10 low-risk countries under relaxed conditions this step turned into a hot Twitter trend under Thai hashtags #Prayut #Openthecountry with there being a lot of criticism of the move, Amarin TV and Sanook.com said today.
Among the 10 low-risk countries are the UK, Singapore, Germany, China and the US. From November 1 tourists from these countries need not be quarantined upon flying into Thailand but have to be fully vaccinated and present evidence of a negative result from a RT-PCR test.
At the same time, the government also aims to increase the number of countries benefiting from this dispensation by December 1 and open the door more widely on January 1.
The government will also consider permitting entertainment venues to reopen and alcohol to be served in restaurants on December 1.
This announcement immediately turned into a hot online topic with several people voicing their disagreement of the move on various grounds including Thailand still does not have adequate vaccination coverage; there is fear that reopening more widely to foreign tourists will led to mutated Covid strains coming into the country which will worsen the situation; while others asked Gen. Prayut why he is reopening the country to more tourists before schools do so.
From when the Prime Minister's address ended till 2.45 p.m. today there were 1.09 million Tweets on this topic which remained the number one trend for Thailand
Multiple major meetings scheduled to be held this Thursday by the Thai Government to give more clarity to reopening plan and current Covid-19 restrictions
The Thai National Security Council (NSC) is planning to propose later this week both strict new measures and relaxation/easing orders of Covid-19 preventive measures in particular provinces, depending on the number of daily infections.
PHOTO: Thaipost
National –
Additionally, the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs are both set to hold major meetings this Thursday around Covid-19 restrictions and to clarify information from Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan O'Cha's major announcement around reopening the country from last night.
General Supot Malaniyom as the secretary-general of the NSC told the Associated Press yesterday, October 11th, that the general Covid-19 pandemic situation in Thailand has continued to increase after easing some measures in dark-red zone provinces. Currently, the major area of concern is the deep South in provinces like Yala, Songkhla, and Pattani. Therefore, the NSC would likely introduce more strict measures in rapidly-increase provinces/areas to the CCSA general cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O'Cha. At the same time, it is also likely that provinces that have been previously been classified as "Dark Red" with maximum restrictions and measures would be potentially eased.
Supot told the Associated Press: "The Cabinet has previously assigned the NSC to propose the most effective country reopening plan in the safest way possible. To do this, we must get current outbreaks and infections under control as much as possible. These plans will be mentioned at the next meeting to the Prime Minister."
"The NCS will also discuss which preventive measures must be more stringent or more relaxed at the meeting. More details may be provided after the general meeting of the CCSA." Supot stated.
The next scheduled major CCSA meeting is Thursday, October 14th, notes TPN media. This meeting should provide more clarity and information around the Prime Minister's primetime announcement last night regarding opening the country to vaccinated foreign tourists from low-risk countries as well.
Additionally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is set to hold a press conference on Thursday at 11:00 A.M. to give more information about the plan to reopen the country and likely clarify the list of countries that will be allowed to enter as early as November. The press conference will be broadcast live on Facebook according to the MFA spokesman Tanee Sangrat earlier today, October 12th, 2021.
The CCSA meeting this day is scheduled to review current zone restrictions as well as the curfew in place in dark-red provinces. We will cover any major announcements from these meetings on Thursday, so make sure you stay tuned right here with TPN media.
Firstly, Dr. Thira Woratanarat, an associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine of Chulalongkorn University, posted an online statement seemingly to trigger public questions of the consequences of the reopening on November 1st while the proactive approach of Covid-19 testing is still limited, a small percentage of people have received the full dose of the vaccines, and the recent daily infections are still reaching an average of ten thousand per day.
His status read: "Other countries open when they're ready. Their screening and monitoring systems are ready and effective, there is a lot of potential for testing, most of the population has been fully vaccinated, and the pandemic situation is not severe and well-controlled. But some countries are still affected by the reopening."
"The question to think about is what will happen to a country that would reopen while the screening is still limited, a small percentage of people have received the full dose of the vaccination, and the recent daily infections are still reaching ten thousand per day." Thira concluded.
Dr. Anan Jongkaewwattana from the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) also raised a similar question, "If 100,000 tourists come every day like before Covid-19, how could the public health officers and medical staff perform RT-PCR tests on all of them upon arrival when we have never been able to before?"
On the contrary, many government ministers and officials have agreed with Prime Minister Prayut's announcement, saying that the government has prepared and is ready for the reopening.
Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn stated that the reopening plan on November 1st would not have any problems because it has been well prepared as planned by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
The quarantine would be less attractive for incoming foreigners during the high season of the year, according to Phiphat. Therefore, the cancellation of mandatory quarantine would perfectly attract a number of fully vaccinated tourists to Thailand.
He told reporters: "The Prime Minister's announcement of the opening on November 1st will perfectly attract tourists to the country in the 4th quarter and the first quarter of 2022 as Thailand is one of the most popular countries during winter for tourists from Europe, America, Japan, South Korea, China, etc."
"For now, we have to adjust how to streamline faster and more effective ATK testing at all international airports. But we have acknowledged that the Ministry of Public Health has prepared everything based on a prototype in Phuket. Therefore, I believe that everything should go smoothly."
Additionally, Government spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana revealed to the press that the no-mandatory quarantine scheme will be implemented in accordance with the terms and conditions prioritizing the safety of both Thai and foreign nationals, such as a requirement of those who have been fully vaccinated from designated low-risk countries.
The upcoming country reopening would build readiness and confidence while presenting the potential of Thailand among international tourists around the world. Meanwhile, Thai citizens should continue to strictly follow the "COVID-Free Settings" (CFS) measure, according to Thanakorn.
Aviation and tourism stocks take off as Thailand set to reopen in November
Aviation stocks and other hospitality-related shares shot up on Tuesday buoyed by news that Thailand will reopen to fully vaccinated visitors with no quarantine from at least ten low-risk countries in November and with a clearer timeline for full reopening.
Asia Aviation (AAV) the operator of Thai AirAsia rose robustly by 8.39 per cent to 3.10 baht in Tuesday morning trading, while Bangkok Airways (BA) jumped by 4.27 per cent to 12.20 baht.
Airports of Thailand (AOT) also gained 4.67 per cent to 67.25 baht with the company set to gain revenue from the new announcement.
"Direct beneficiaries would be reopening plays – Aviation (AOT, AAV), Hotel (MINT, ERW, CENTEL), Shopping malls (CPN, CRC), Restaurants (AU, ZEN, M), and related businesses such as SPA, MAJOR, and HMPRO," analysts at Krungsri Securities said in a note.
During Tuesday's session, the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) index could rise up to 1,645 / 1,660 levels, bolstered by official reopening plans, Krungsri said.
The Erawan Group (ERW) and Minor International (MINT), both hotel operators, surged by 10 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively. Amata Corporation (AMATA), the industrial estate developer, jumped by 4.6 per cent.
For hospitals, Bumrungrad Hospital (BH) rose by 3.9 per cent to 145.50 baht due to the possibility of an increase in international patients.
The United States, the United Kingdom, China, Singapore, and Australia were among the countries mentioned as being on the safe list with more to be announced later.
